"We would be grateful if you could help us understand if there is, in practice or by law, any difference in how these standards apply to and are enforced for non-career appointees as opposed to career employees, both Foreign Service and Civil Service."
The American Foreign Service Association, which represents American Foreign Service officers, has sent a letter to the State Department asking if State Dept. regulations (regulations-not recommendations, Jen Psaki) are applicable to all State Department employees or just some. This comes in the wake of the absence of a DOS form OH-109 signed by Hillary Clinton to the effect that she has turned in all classified information in her possession to the State Department. Ms. Psaki, the out-going DOS spokesperson, is now describing the process as part of "recommendations" not regulations.
http://diplopundit.net/2015/03/19/afsa-politely-asks-the-state-dept-is-adherence-to-the-foreign-affairs-manual-optional-for-some/
“I don’t have the FAM in front of me. I can certainly check and see if there were certain policies, if there were regulations. The FAM is not a regulation; it’s recommendations.”
Betcha $5.00 against that proverbial week-old Krispy Kreme that Gary executed a similar document upon his departure from DEA. Betcha another one that it involved regulations rather than recommendations.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I did not go to the trouble to specifically locate the form in the Foreign Affairs Manual, all the stuff I saw therein sure looked like regulations, with essentially the force of law, and NOT recommendations.
A better question was if I signed any documents in 1978 and 1987 confirming I had turned over any classified documents when I left my posts of duty in Bangkok and Milan. (US Embassy and Consulate) I honestly don't recall.
ReplyDeleteFor me it would have been equivalent if I had kept my government -issued firearm when I retired.